Shedeur Sanders was primed to celebrate, surrounded by friends, family and propped up behind the high-level production on his resume at Colorado.
Pick-by-pick, that pocket collapsed around Sanders and he was left to deliver a concession speech to his draft party audience Thursday night.
“We all didn’t expect to be here, of course,” Sanders said of the first round passing without his name being called . “I don’t feel like this happened for no reason. All this is is of course fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance we all know this shouldn’t have happened. We understand we’re on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow is the day. We’re going to be happy regardless. Legendary.”
Perspective amidst the perceived pain or disappointment the family is feeling might be fleeting. But take a look at the bio of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts. He was a second-round pick in 2020 and not many expected him to be the last QB standing as a Super Bowl starter when he went to Philadelphia at No. 53 as the fifth player at his position picked (Joe Burrow went No. 1, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love were also first-rounders).
The son of Deion Sanders was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and shares the devil-may-care attitude and Cloud Nine confidence that helped turn Deion Sanders into Primetime.
Only two quarterbacks were selected in the first round Thursday. When the New York Giants traded for a second-first round pick, they went with Ole Miss star Jaxson Dart, the SEC leader in passing who had 29 touchdowns and six interceptions last season.
Because of the spotlight on Shedeur Sanders, it’s worth a reminder: there is no shame in the second round. It’s not just a question of being one of the top 64 or 75 players in the draft. The draft is an evolving equation with variables changing every five or 10 minutes based on what the other 31 teams have in mind.
If you whittle down the math to zoom in on only the teams with a need at the position, Sanders might be in for more of a wait Friday.
The Cleveland Browns are still kicking the tires on a Kirk Cousins trade, but have picks 33 and 36.
The New Orleans Saints went offensive tackle at No. 9, but they’ll pick eighth in the second round — 40th overall — and have the most pressing need at QB among the teams who didn’t find one Thursday.
Why do the Saints have such an urgent need? Derek Carr, himself a former second-round pick, has a shoulder issue.
Cleveland can fall back on veterans Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco if the Cousins trade doesn’t happen, but we already witnessed a signal the Falcons are expecting an extra draft pick or two based on the haul surrendered by Atlanta to add Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce Jr.
A reminder to the Sanders Family: The start isn’t reflective of a final destination.
In addition to Carr, one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the Saints came from second-round beginnings. Drew Brees went No. 1 — in the second round — in 2001 and led the Saints to a Super Bowl. He was a free agent signee like Carr but entered the NFL as a second-round pick and was the only player from that draft still playing in 2020 when he retired.
His career in a word: Legendary.
Thursday wasn’t the end. No path for Shedeur Sanders is predetermined.
Bigger and better things are still possible.
